Must Know Tips for Filmmakers & Photographers Traveling Abroad
INTRODUCTION
So, you just booked your flight and confirmed your hotel. It’s probably going to be a bit stressful because, for one, you’re traveling outside of America; and two, you’re traveling with gear. I’ve done it many times and experienced both the good and bad from these trips. With 2020 here, I’ve decided to compile a list of tips for videographers traveling internationally, specifically because it’s more challenging and intimidating when leaving the United States. So, here is my Must Know Tips for Videographers & Photographers Traveling Abroad (in no particular order).
Global Entry (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
If you are an American Citizen, you’re in luck! Global Entry is a perfect way to expedite clearance through customs into the United States. No going through those crazy retractable belts just so you can be in long lines. You can skip it and head straight to those fancy kiosks at airports, get your passport scanned and head to baggage claim. The best part about having Global Entry is that it also works when you’re crossing the border into Mexico or Canada. If you’re a frequent flyer traveling domestically in the United States, you’re going to love having TSA Pre√ eligibility too! Not an American Citizen? It’s okay, it’s also available for select permanent citizenship and U.S. Lawful permanent residents.
Check their website for eligibility, apply online and pay a $100 non-refundable fee. You have to wait a few weeks to confirm an interview with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, but once you’re approved, you’ll have Global Entry/TSA Pre√ for up to five years!
Think Tank Airport International V3
Traveling with gear can be a discomfort because you always have that what if thought in your head. But with my Think Tank rolling bag, I never have to worry. This camera bag not only fits all my camera gear, but protects it as well. The team at Think Tank really thought this design out with the TSA Lock, the ability to meet most international airlines carry on requirements, and front feature pocket to carry my laptop gear. The main reason this is my primary camera bag is because of the weight distribution, I’m able to have a light backpack to save my back muscles and I’m able to carry heavier gear that I wouldn’t normally carry.
I understand that some might choose a backpack because they’re able to move more freely, but keep in mind that having camera gear off your back allows you to carry non-camera gear with you as a carry-on. The challenging thing too about traveling internationally is that most international flights either have a smaller airline bin for carry-ons, or they don’t have any so you’re faced with placing it under your seat. Well, just know that this camera bag can just do that!
Entertainment and Media Passes for Major Airlines
The hardest part about traveling is traveling itself. If we could get to our final destination without traveling, it would make our jobs much easier. But, that’s not the case. For us to travel, it requires gear, lots of gear, sometimes not enough gear, and sometimes heavy gear. But when it comes to flying with gear, that’s a whole different ball game.
During the early careers of my traveling, I would carry lots of gear because I was filming multiple film projects, which led me to pay an arm for extra weighted baggage. Then, I would have to pay a leg for an extra baggage which consisted of my clothes. It wasn’t until I came across this information from another videographer, Entertainment and Media Passes. It allows media (photographers, videographers, journalists, camera crew, sound crew, etc.) to be charged a flat service charge to check camera, film, and lighting and sound equipment.
How does this work you say? Well, you must first provide proof that you’re a legitimate business at the ticket counter (ex: having your business card). Then, instead of paying excessive baggage fees, you’re able to pay a flat rate at the counter. They’ll even make sure your baggage is marked and treated like a premiere status passenger. Now you may not be traveling with much baggage, but this is a great option if you need more gear for your project.
Now, if you are a military personnel or have travel orders with the military, you’re in luck because your able to travel with extra weighted baggage for free. It’s a military thing.
Adapter Plugs + Power Converters
This is the ultimate must-have tool for videographers. Keep in mind that all electrical sockets are not created equal. Because we’re dependent on being mobile and need to plug into the nearest outlet when charging our batteries, having the right power adapter before entering a country is key. Once you have the correct power adapter, it doesn’t mean you’re ready to go. Knowing the voltage,
volt·age (noun): an electromotive force or potential difference expressed in volts. Voltage is what makes electric charges move.
It is important because it can damage our batteries. Too little voltage and our batteries will not charge. Too much voltage, batteries will go boom! Having an adapter plug and/or power converter can save our gear and keep our batteries from going bad. Fun fact, if you own an apple product, your laptop chargers have a built-in power converter, so you’ll just need an adapter.
Portable Power Banks
Since we’re on the topic of electricity, portable power banks are perfect for traveling anywhere and everywhere. It was only a few years ago where power banks, or portable chargers, were able to charge a small device for a short amount of time. Now, we have power banks that are able to charge computers, camera batteries, tablets and even phones for days. Power banks are not only a high in capacity with power, but they’re able to charge multiple devices at the same time. The reason we can’t travel without them is because we’re able to fit them in our camera bags and in our pockets, which gives us the ability to stay mobile and carry multiple devices without worrying about an outlet. Our power banks specifically charge our phones, game consoles (Nintendo Switch), GoPro Hero 7 and even our camera when using a camera dummy battery. Just keep in mind though, the higher the capacity, the larger the weight, which can make or break for some of you. With the new law regulating lithium batteries on a flight, only a specific amount of power capacity (20,000 mAh) is required to take on a flight and I recommend to NOT put it in your checked in baggage (TSA/Airport Security will confiscate it) and this will leave you with serious consequences when traveling internationally.
Here is a quick rundown to help you.
Milliamp Hours (mAh): How many hours the electric charge can be supplied.
Nominal Voltage: The midpoint between fully charged and fully discharged based on a 0.2C discharge. For a lithium-ion cell, this is typically 3.7V.
Watt Hours: A unit of energy that indicates the number of watts supplied in an hour.
Passport Holder
Really? Did I read that correctly? A passport holder? YES! Really. A passport holder! I was in route to Italy when I came across a passenger who was at the ticket counter. She pulled out an item from her purse that looked sort of like a large wallet, but when she opened it, it looked like a book and her passport was attached to it. In my head, I was like “woah, you know she travels a lot,” and so I purchased my first passport holder from Amazon.
What makes it worth my money? Well, when I see her passport holder and I looked at my passport, I realized that I was damaging my passport. Edges of my passport were peeling and the feel of my passport was not as stiff when I first received it. It’s like a case for a phone. Not just that, I was able to carry my debit card, credit card, Global Entry card, train card, baggage tags for my flights, cash and euro, and there was a small pocket to hold a sim card removal tool. Yeah, that was a lot for just a passport holder. I was even able to carry a couple of business cards for possible clients and memory cards too!
Apple AirPods / Bose QuietComfort 35 Series II
Ever went to the gym and forgot your earbuds? It’s the same thing for when you’re catching a flight. We all use headphones for watching movies, talking on the phone, listening to music and sometimes to just drown out the noise around us. I’m not going to do a pro + cons of the two headphones because they’re two completely different types of headphones.
Just to make it quick for those who – ya know…Apple AirPods are earbuds and Bose QC35II are over-ear headphones. But I use them both. I tend to use my Apple AirPods the most because they’re connected specifically via Bluetooth to my phone. They’re compact, stylish, and sound great in my ear. Ideally, they’re perfect for short flights, daily talk/Facetime, browsing through social media, or when I don’t want much weight on my head. However, the Bose QC35II are opposite. They’re a little bulkier, but the sound is outstanding, the Bluetooth works with my phone and it also comes with a headphone jack cable for connecting to flight entertainment or even my Nintendo Switch. But what makes the Bose QC35II a must have item is the noise cancellation! I’m the type of person that just loves to zone out with music or just silence, and I’m able to do that with these headphones.
So, which one do I prefer? BOTH, they’re like my tag team secret for sound. I know…cliché. But I love editing + noise cancellation with my QC35II and using my AirPods on the daily.
Airline Rewards Program
My next tip for you is to create an account with the Airlines you’re traveling because this will help you receive mileage. With the mileage you gain from your flights, you gain even more mileage and possibly book travel rewards such as a free trip, hotels, flight upgrades or even credit card points. Now, I’m not here to tell you the best Airline Reward Program because you can do the research yourself, but I do recommend looking into Airline Program Partners.
Star Alliance: United Airlines, Air Canada, Ana, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines and more
One World: American Airlines, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways, Qantas and more
Hawaiian Airline Partners: China Airlines, Japan Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Korean Air and more
Because I have a Star Alliance account (no credit card), I was able to fly to Japan and gain mileage reward from ANA and United Airlines. I was averaging 9,000 miles back-and-forth multiple times throughout 2018. By the end of the year I was averaging over 100,000 miles (keep in mind that I have NO credit card with United Airlines), so my United Premier Status was increasing and I was able to access United Lounges around the world. The benefit? I was able to book a roundtrip flight to Disneyland for me and my family.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
Picture this, I’m currently in Japan for a few weeks for work and I’m having dinner with friends. We’re a day ahead of the United States, so that means we receive the next episode of HBO’s Game of Thrones a little late. We all headed back to my room and decide that we need to find a way to watch the next episode. I’m already paying for HBO NOW, so that means I’m losing money already; what to do? I turned my VPN on and set it to the United States. This allowed my network/WIFI to appear as if I’m home, but I’m physically in a different country. We were able to enjoy Game of Thrones every week for the rest of our trip!
Moral of the story? Having a VPN helps you a lot, especially if you can’t read Japanese and you want to keep updated of home (news, social media, etc.). This allows you to have a secured network, protects you from hackers and is definitely affordable. The only major con that I have issues with comes from network drops or when my connection drops. But while I’m in Japan connected to a VPN in the United States, I’m able to search YouTube and receive search results as if I’m home!
Google Translate App
I have to admit, Google makes some incredible apps for everyone outside of their search engine. I may sound biased because I use a lot of their apps for home and business use, but they really do find a way to help you out, especially in tough situations like language barriers. Learning multiple languages can be tough and time consuming, but the Google Translator App is a clutch app for talking with locals in various countries. Being an English-speaking visitor in Japan, I was only able to say specific words like hello and thank you in Japanese, but using the app, I’m able to have conversations and guide my way through the country.
One of the reasons I love the Google Translator App is that you’re able to say something in English (via the phone mic) and it’ll translate what you say into their native tongue you prefer; Vice versa they can reply into their native tongue and it’ll translate into English. The coolest feature about the app is the ability to take a photo of anything (a magazine, sign, food label or flyer) and you can highlight the written language on photo and it’ll translate that language into English. This allows you to be independent and get lost in a country without actually being lost.
YETI x Hydro Flask
We have all experienced a time where we came to the airport and we have to get rid of our water bottles before entering the TSA Check Line. After going through the TSA Check Line we head straight to the next shop to purchase us a water bottle. Then, we look at the prices and like, damn!
It's 2020 and most airports carry water dispensaries for us to drink purified cold water. Having a Hydro Flask or Yeti allows us to just reuse a water bottle anytime you want, that way when we go through security check lines at the airport, we don't have to worry about trashing our bottles, we’ll just refill it at the next airport. The coolest thing that I've experienced on a flight while having my Yeti or Hydro Flask is that most flight attendants are so kind, they’ll just refill it for you as much as you need. Now, I'm not sure this is part of their job or they're even allowed to do it but the flights that I've experienced they just kept refilling it for me and I couldn't be more grateful for it.
So just be sure to carry one in your carry-on, it doesn't have to be a large one because you can just keep refilling it.
Multivitamins x Emergen-C
I have a bad habit of traveling so much that I just keep eating anything and everything I see it's like I'm on some kind of seafood diet where I just see it and eat it. But I know it's because I just love to try new things and I'm just so curious so having multivitamins in my bag all the time can make sure that I'm keeping up with my daily doses oh Father health.
But when were traveling, we tend to forget about our Health & what's around us. Keep in mind that when we're on Long flights of over 8 hours we're breathing recycled air and we are surrounded by people we're not used to being around for so long. That's why I try to make sure I always bring my Emergen-C because I'm confident that it will provide me with the vitamins that I need so that I don't get sick, or at least trying not to, that way I can enjoy my trip and be the best videographer I can be for my client.
Pokémon Go
This is a fun tip and definitely an underrated tip. If you’re at the airport waiting for your flight and have NOTHING to do or edit, just pull out your phone and play Pokémon Go! It makes it more fun because there are exclusive Pokémon in select countries and you can gain more experience points with the different Pokémon stops and Pokémon gyms from around the world. Now, I’m not going to tell you how to play because you can find that out on your own, but I will tell you to add me and we can battle + exchange gifts while we’re countries apart!
Conclusion
Now that you know all my tips and tricks for a successful trip, there is one ultimate tip that didn’t make this list, and that is to enjoy the moment! Because we're so busy with client work and focusing on our shots, we tend to forget where we are in the world and how we got there. But taking the short amount of time to just breathe and look around for a minute will help you enjoy the trip even more - you might event see a shot that’s not on the shot list. So, safe travels to you and your crew and if these tips helped you out, then I’m happy I can be here for you, but let me know what if there’s anything that I haven’t listed, but it’s on your list!